Here Comes the Bride! (I Hope She’s Ready!)

A bride on her wedding day is synonymous with beauty. As women, the intense preparation produces the one day we feel best about our appearance. That’s why we blow up pictures of ourselves and remember our wedding dress as the best item in our closet that, unfortunately, we will never wear again. We mentally measure our beauty against this day forever.

And it is a good thing, because what marriage really does to you is accentuate all the ugliness that lies hidden inside!

One of my favorite books is Sacred Marriage by Gary Thomas. His message is a question: “What if marriage was designed to make you holy, not happy?” Don’t misunderstand, I’m a much happier person married than I was single. But Thomas reminds us that the ultimate goal of marriage is much loftier than just fullfilling our personal need for love and companionship. God uses marriage to make us better people – more considerate, less selfish, and hopefully a little bit more like him.

So this afternoon I enjoyed the typical snacks and games at the bridal shower of my young cousin and often caught myself wondering if she knew what she was getting into. Of course she doesn’t; none of us did. But I hope for her that she learns to embrace the process. I hope she learns to find joy in the struggle. Sticking it out together is no small feat, but the result is worth it.

In the end, if we perservere together, I think we’ll discover that beautiful bride again. This time she won’t be just glitter and glam. This time she’ll be timeless and perfect – inside and out. This time she’ll be holy – and happy!